Wichita County, Texas

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 633 sqmi, of which 5.3 sqmi (0.8%) are covered by water. The county is drained by the Wichita River and other streams.

Major highways

• [[Image:I-44 (TX).svg|20px]] Interstate 44
• [[Image:US 82.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 82
• [[Image:US 277.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 277
• [[Image:US 281.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 281
• [[Image:US 287.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 287
• [[Image:Texas 25.svg|20px]] State Highway 25
• [[Image:Texas 79.svg|20px]] State Highway 79
• [[Image:Texas 240.svg|20px]] State Highway 240
• [[Image:Texas 258.svg|20px]] State Highway 258

Adjacent counties

• Tillman County, Oklahoma (north)
• Cotton County, Oklahoma (northeast)
• Clay County (east)
• Archer County (south)
• Wilbarger County (west)
• Baylor County (southwest)

Geology

Wichita County is part of the Texas Red Beds, which are strata of red-colored sedimentary rock from the Early Permian. The fossils of Permian period vertebrates in the Texas Red Beds were first discovered by Edward Drinker Cope in 1877. Cope, E. D. Descriptions of extinct vertebrata from the Permian and Triassic formations of the United States. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 1877. Volume 17:182–195. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017. Subsequent research has revealed rare fossils of Permian period amphibians like Trimerorhachis, as well as rich deposits of other Permian tetrapods such as Dimetrodon and Diadectes.

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1850–2010 2010-2020

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 129,350. The median age was 36.1 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 67.0% White, 10.7% Black or African American, 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 8.1% from some other race, and 10.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 19.9% of the population.

87.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 12.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 49,007 households in the county, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.6% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 55,519 housing units, of which 11.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 60.0% were owner-occupied and 40.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.7%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 131,664 people, 48,441 households, and 32,891 families resided in the county. The population density was 210 /mi2. The 53,304 housing units had an average density of 85 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 78.76% White, 10.23% African American, 0.89% Native American, 1.84% Asian, 5.60% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. About 12.23% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 48,441 households, 33.6% had children under 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were not families, with 1,869 unmarried partner households - 1,677 heterosexual, 94 same-sex male, and 98 same-sex female. About 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49, and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the age distribution was 25.2% under 18, 13.7% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.8 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 103.4 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,780, and for a family was $40,937. Males had a median income of $28,687 versus $21,885 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,965. About 10.30% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice James V. Allred Unit is located in Wichita County. Wichita County Commissioner Court members: County Judge Jim Johnson, Commissioner Pct. 1 Mark Beauchamp, Commissioner Pct. 2 Mickey Fincannon, Commissioner Pct. 3 Barry Mahler, and Commissioner Pct. 4 Jeff Watts

The sheriff of Wichita County is David Duke. He first took office on January 1, 2009.

Politics

Wichita County is represented in the Texas House of Representatives by the Republican James Frank, a businessman from Wichita Falls. Wichita County has about 77% of the population of Texas' 69th state house district, 18% of the population of the 13th US congressional district, and 15% of the population of the 30th state senate district.

Presidential elections

Wichita County has consistently voted for the Republican Party in presidential elections since 1980.

In 2008, Wichita County cast the majority of its votes for Republican John McCain; he won 31,673 votes (69%). Democrat Barack Obama received 13,828 votes (30%). Other candidates received 1% of the vote. In 2004, Republican George W. Bush did better than John McCain and won 71% of the vote and 32,472 votes. Democrat John F. Kerry won 28% of the vote and 12,819 votes.

Communities

Cities

• Cashion Community
• Burkburnett
• Electra
• Iowa Park
• Wichita Falls (county seat)
• Kamay

Town

• Pleasant Valley

Unincorporated communities

• Haynesville
• Kamay
• Valley View

Ghost towns

• Clara --

Education

School districts serving the county include:

• Burkburnett Independent School District
• City View Independent School District
• Electra Independent School District
• Holliday Independent School District
• Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District
• Wichita Falls Independent School District

The county is in the service area of Vernon College.

References

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. (2008). "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". [[Newberry Library.
4. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
5. {{Cite AmCyc
6. Case, E.C. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/30060764 The Red Beds between Wichita Falls, Texas, and Las Vegas, New Mexico, in Relation to Their Vertebrate Fauna.] ''The Journal of Geology'', vol. 22, no. 3, 1914, pp. 243–259. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
7. (June 2025)
8. Caulfield, Dave. [http://www.newschannel6now.com/story/30368034/prehistoric-predators-fossil-findings-in-seymour-redefining Prehistoric Predators: Fossil Findings in Seymour 'Redefining'.] Newschannel 6: October 25, 2015. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
9. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010". Texas Almanac.
12. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wichita County, Texas". [[United States Census Bureau]].
13. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wichita County, Texas".
14. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wichita County, Texas".
15. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
16. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
17. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
18. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
19. "[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ja.htm Allred Unit] {{webarchive. link. (2010-07-25 ." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.)
20. "[http://www.cwftx.net/documents/Departments/Public%20Works/Engineering/Map%20Book/Map%20Book%201%20-%2028%20PDF/21_Sht1.PDF Sheet Number 1]." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
21. "[http://www.cwftx.net/documents/Departments/Public%20Works/Engineering/Map%20Book/Map%20Book%201%20-%2028%20PDF/22_Sht2.PDF Sheet Number 2]." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
22. "[http://www.cwftx.net/documents/Departments/Public%20Works/Engineering/Map%20Book/Map%20Book%201%20-%2028%20PDF/29_Sht9.PDF Sheet Number 9]." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
23. "Wichita County Sheriff's Office".
24. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
25. (November 5, 2024). "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)".
26. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Wichita County, TX". [[United States Census Bureau]].
27. [https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.207. VERNON REGIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA].